About wayfinding design

Wayfinding design is more than just designing signs. It can include considering all of the resources that people will use to find their way.

This is likely to include thinking about where signs should go and what they should say. It can also include thinking about providing maps, either fixed or portable. It might include providing people who can give directions. It might include thinking about how the building or space can be arranged so that people can find their way as intuitively as possible. It can also involve thinking about brand and place-making.

In essence wayfinding design requires thinking about what information people need and when they need it, and how to deliver that to them. This demands an understanding of the users of the signs. For instance: are they in a hurry, how easily can they read English, and ultimately what are they trying to achieve? This is where behavioural research is so useful.

A good question to ask is: can people find their destinations without using signs, what other means are available? Maybe the smell of freshly roasted coffee is far more persuasive at leading people to your cafe than any sign saying ‘cafe this way’.

The University of Reading campus in Malaysia, for which I designed external and internal wayfinding, was shortlisted at the World Architecture Festival 2013 Awards.

To find out more please email me or phone +44 (0)7974 176656.

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